'The State is not going to test you for free before you go on holiday' - Minister rules out free PCR tests

When non-essential international travel resumes from July 19, people who are not fully vaccinated will need to pay for a private PCR test if they want to travel abroad.

The State will not subsidise the cost of PCR testing for holidaymakers who wish to travel abroad this summer, it has been confirmed.

Minister of State Ossian Smyth said “there is no plan” to subsidize the cost of international travel at present and added people will not be able to avail of “free” PCR testing from the HSE for this purpose.

“If you want to get tested before travel, you have to get a private test. You can’t go along to the HSE and say I want to go on holidays, will you test me for free,” he told RTÉ's Saturday with Katie Hannon.

"The State is not going to tet you for free before you go on holiday."

Mr Smyth said he understands PCR tests would be an additional cost to family holidays this year, but said “vaccinations are free.” 

Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement and eGovernment Ossian Smyth,

When it was pointed out to him that children cannot avail of vaccinations at present, the minister said, "That's true."

When non-essential international travel resumes from July 19, people who are not fully vaccinated will need to pay for a private PCR test if they want to travel abroad.

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on transport, Darren O’Rourke, said there were “real implications there for the cost of a family holiday.” 

“For a family, it’s €150 a head per PCR test.” 

Under proposed legislation, unvaccinated children aged 7 and above will need a negative PCR test to travel abroad from July 19. All adults who are not fully vaccinated will also need a negative PCR test.

Whether you will be allowed to travel if you have a negative antigen test depends on the receiving country, Mr Smyth said, adding that Ireland will not accept negative antigen tests for inbound or outbound travellers.

Instead, only PCR tests will be accepted.

Earlier, the HSE confirmed a further 464 Covid-19 cases had been recorded in Ireland, with 90 patients in hospital. 

The data relating to deaths and case numbers remains affected by the cyberattack on the HSE's systems on May 14, though HSE chief Paul Reid said the health service is "gaining momentum" in rebuilding its network.